Gripping slider type buckle with fastener element on slider



Sept. 29, 1953 P. D BECKER 2,653,364

GRIPPING SLIDER TYPE BUCKLE WITH FASTENER ELEMENT on SLIDER Filed Jan.13, 1950 INVENTQR: PmuP D. BECKER,

BY PW 6.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 29, 1953 ATENT OFFICE GRIPP ING SLIDE-R TYPE BUCKLE WITHFASTENEB- ELEMENT ON SLIDER Philip Becker, Hingham, Mass., assignor toUnited-Carr FastenerCorporation, Cambridge, Mass;, a corporation ofMassachusetts Application January 13, 1950, Serial No. 138,452

This invention relates generally to buckles, and has particularreference to a buckle assembly of the'type having a slidable"strap-gripper element with means thereon for attaching the assembly toasupporting member. k

The object" of the. invention is to provide an improved buckle assemblycomprising a minimum number of parts, in which a strap-receiving frameand a movable support-engaging member are maintained in' assembly bymeans disposed on the frametooover'a' portion of the strap-engagingmember;

A further objectof the invention is to provide a buckle assemblycomprising a frame and a slider member having means for attaching theassembly to a, supporting member in which the slider member is retainedin assembly with the frame solely by means disposed on the frame.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a buckle-assemblyin which a buckle frameha sagripper element retained on one side thereofby gripper-retaining*means which is integral with the base, and thegripper element has means thereon extending through an intermediateopening in the frame to permit the other side of the assembly to beattached to a supporting member.

Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious, and will, inpart, appear hereinafter. For a fuller understanding of the nature andobjects of the invention, reference should be had to the followingdetailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Fig. l is a top plan View of a buckle assembly embodying the features ofthe invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the buckle assembly of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation, partly in section,

of the buckle assembly of Fig. l and an assembled I strap in which thebuckle assembly is secured to a supporting member; and

Fig. 4 is a view in section taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, there is illustrated a buckle assembly I0,which is adapted to adjustably engage a strap l2 and to be attached to asupporting member I4.

The buckle assembly comprises a buckle frame 16 and a, slider member l8which are assembled so as to allow relative movement of the slider andthe frame in a direction longitudinally of an assembled strap. Thebuckle frame 16 is provided with transverse strap-receiving openings 20and 2| at the ends thereof, and an 3 Claims. (or; 24-47) intermediatelongitudinal slot 22. The slider 68 comprises a strap-gripper element itand an attaching member 26 disposed thereon which may be convenientlyformed of the metal of the central portion of the gripper element. Inthe illustrated embodiment the attaching member 26 is in the form of asnap fastener stud for snapping engagement with a snap fastener socket28 disposed on the supporting member M.

To retain the slider 58 in assembly with the buckle frame, the frame isprovided with a pair of slider-retaining members 35 which are preferablyformed of the metal of the medial portion 32 of the frame, and in theillustrated embodiment are attached to opposite edges 34 and 35 of theframe and have inwardly extending free end portions 36 and '3! which arespaced apart from the plane of the medial portion 32 of the frame.

The gripper element 2t is disposed on the frame beneath the free ends 36and 3?, with the attaching member 25 disposed in the intermediate slot22 and extending therethrough to project from the frame on the oppositeside. The slider is so assembled on the frame as to be freely slidableback and forth between the strap-receiving openings 20 and 2!, and themovement of the slider is limited by the attaching member contacting theframe at the ends of the slot 22. The gripper element 24, at the extremelimits of the movement of the slider, is capable of at least partiallyobstructing the strap-receiving openings 2%) and 2| to engage a strapdisposed therethrough as will be hereinafter described.

The operation of the device is illustrated in Fig. 3. The strap I2 isassembled on the buckle frame, through the openings 20 and 2! and acrossthe face of the buckle having the slider-retaining members 30. Theattaching member 25 is then snapped into engagement with the socket 28on the supporting member. When tension is applied to the device asindicated by the arrows, the pull of the strap l2 tends to move theframe [6 to the right. However, the slider, being securely attached tothe supporting member, cannot move, and consequently relative movementof the slider and the frame causes the gripper element to engage thestrap H2 at the opening 2t, and prevent slippage of the strap throughthe buckle frame.

Although the attaching member illustrated is integral with the gripperelement, making it possible to form the slider of a single piece ofmetal, this construction may be modified to suit requirements of aparticular case, it being within the scope of the invention to providean attaching member of any desired form which may be secured to thegripper element by any convenient method. Similarly the slider-retainingmembers 39 may be provided by other means than illustrated, it onlybeing essential that the slider be capable of free longitudinal movementrelative to the frame. In some cases the attaching member may bedisposed on the same side of the frame as the gripper element, in whichcase other means may be provided for limiting the longitudinal movementof, the slider.

Since certain other obvious modifications may be made in the deviceWithout departing from the scope of the invention, it is. intended thatall matter contained herein be interpreted in an illustrative, and notin a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A buckle assembly, comprising a buckle frame having elongatedstrap-receivingopen ings and an elongated opening intermediate thestrap-receiving openings extending laterally thereof, a strap-gripperelement, retaining means integral with the frame and spaced from thegripper retaining the, gripper element on one side of siidablerelationshi 0, said gripper element having a snap fastener formedthereon and extending through the intermediate opening and protrudingfrom the other side of the frame to ermit the assembly to be attached toa supporting member disposed on said other side and to limitlongitudinal movement of the gripper element, the dimensions of saidstud in any plane parallel to the frame being substantially equal to thewidth of the intermediate opening.

2. A buckle assembly, comprising a buckle frame and a slider memberassembled thereon, said buckle frame having elongated strap-receivingopenings at the end thereof, an elongated opening intermediate thestrap-receiving openings extending laterally thereof, said slidercomprising a strap-gripper element disposed on one side of the frame formovement longitudinally e frame in longitudinal of the intermediateopening, means on the medial portion of the frame spaced from thegripper element for retaining the slider in assembly with the frame, anda drawn snap fastener stud extending from the gripper element throughthe intermediate opening and protruding from the other side of the framefor engagement with a supporting member disposed on the other side ofthe frame, and to limit longitudinal movement of the gripper relative tothe frame, the dimensions of said stud in any plane parallel to theframe being substantially equal to the Width of the intermediateopening.

3. A buckle assembly comprising, a buckle frameand a slider memberassembled thereon, Said buckle frame having elongated strap-receivingslots in the ends thereof, an elongated slot intermediate thestrap-receiving slots extending laterally thereof, said slidercomprising a strapgripper element disposed on one side of the frame, apair of, slider-retaining members integral with the frame extendinginwardly from opposite sides thereof toward the intermediate, slotoverlying the gripper in spaced relation thereto, and a drawn snapfastener stud member extending from the gripper through the intermediateslot for engagement with a support on the opposite side of the frame andto limit the longitudinal movement of the gripper relative to the frame,the dimensions of said stud in, any plane parallel to the frame beingsubstantially equal to the Width of the intermediate opening.

PHILIP D. BECKER.

References Cited in the file of this patent. UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 887,209 Mattson May 12, 1908 993,320 Brown May 23, 19111,820,969 Friedheim Sept. 1, 1931 1,857,973 Reiter May 10, 1932

